Aunt Cheng didn't get anything out of Fang Qiao, exchanged a few pleasantries, and then left.
Fang Qiao had guessed it.
After all, with her constantly asking questions of her third aunt and Xiao Jing, even a fool could tell that she was after Xiao Jing.
Aunt Cheng came once but didn't see Third Aunt. Fang Qiao thought she would wait at least two days before coming again. Unexpectedly, she was so impatient that she came again in the evening after only one day.
That's too hasty.
This time, my third aunt was at home.
She mysteriously pulled her third aunt outside: "Sister-in-law, I have something to tell you, come with me."
"What's going on?" Auntie was pulled away, completely bewildered.
Xiao Jing curiously approached Fang Qiao and asked, "Sister-in-law, what did Auntie want to talk to my mom about?"
Fang Qiao shook her head and didn't say anything.
Xiao Jing said "Oh".
Fang Qiao said, "If you're really curious and want to know, ask your mother later, she'll definitely tell you."
Xiao Jing nodded.
About ten minutes later, my third aunt finally returned.
She had a tense expression and looked unwell.
Aunt Cheng followed behind her somewhat awkwardly, said goodbye to the old lady, and prepared to leave.
Wang Qiuju politely asked her to stay for dinner, but Aunt Cheng declined. She quickly got on her bicycle and rode away in the dark, in such a hurry that it seemed as if a dog was chasing her.
After Aunt Cheng left, Third Aunt spat at Aunt Cheng's back, "Pah, what kind of person is she!"
Xiaojing was a little worried and asked, "Mom? What happened? What did your aunt want to talk to you about?"
Third Aunt looked at Xiao Jing and couldn't help but tear up.
What sins did she commit in her past life that brought such retribution upon Xiao Jing?!
Whether they are relatives from the bride's family or the groom's family, they will scheme against their daughter for a pittance!
"Mother? Why are you crying?"
Seeing her aunt crying, Xiao Jing hurriedly reached out to wipe her tears.
Auntie shook her head: "I'm fine, I'm just feeling sad for a moment."
She calmed down and took Xiaojing's hand: "Let's go, let's go to the old lady's room to talk. Xiaoqiao, Qiuju, you come too."
The old lady's room wasn't big. Aunt San and Xiao Jing could sit inside, but Fang Qiao and Wang Qiuju had to squeeze in and stand at the door.
Third Aunt said, "Mother, my eldest sister just came to see me, wanting to arrange a marriage for Xiaojing."
The old lady asked, "Which family does she want to marry Xiaojing off to?"
Xiao Jing stared in shock, her eyes wide. She stood up abruptly: "Mother! I! I won't get married!"
"Don't worry, your mother won't let you get married."
Even if you are going to get married, you can't get married in your hometown.
Xiao Jing's reputation has spread throughout her hometown. No matter which family she marries into, she will never be able to hold her head high for the rest of her life.
Rather than that, she would rather have her stay at home for the rest of her life than marry out and be bullied by another family.
Auntie held Xiaojing's hand and patted the back of her hand reassuringly: "Tell me the truth. You just want to let yourselves know the situation. Don't believe everything you hear from others. Everyone has their own agenda, even relatives. What they say may not be entirely true."
Having received her mother's promise, Xiao Jing finally calmed down and sat down again.
Auntie San then continued, "The family that my eldest sister mentioned is a distant relative of her husband's family, a nephew. He's young, only in his twenties, but a widower. His wife just died, leaving behind two children, the older one a little over two years old, and the younger one still breastfeeding."
The old lady nodded, then asked, "Anything else?"
Based on these conditions alone, it cannot be said that Aunt Cheng had no good intentions.
After all, given Xiaojing's reputation, she wouldn't be able to marry well back in her hometown.
Aside from an old bachelor, she can only marry a divorced man and become his stepmother.
Auntie clenched her fist and continued, "He's a bit mentally unstable. When he's in a bad mood, he likes to hit people. His first wife, who died by jumping into a well, was beaten by him quite a bit before she died."
Fang Qiao gasped.
Women who have given birth are often very tolerant for the sake of their children!
If she hadn't been beaten so badly she couldn't bear it anymore, she would never have had the heart to abandon her two young children and go to her death.
So you can imagine how badly she was beaten before she was willing to abandon her two children and jump into a well to commit suicide.
How dare Aunt Cheng ask Third Aunt for a thing?
They're all relatives, how could you have the nerve to push your niece into a fire pit?
Third Auntie never expected that, even though they were all relatives, Aunt Cheng would have the nerve to ask to do this coal!
She said that her in-laws' relatives had come to her for help, and she felt embarrassed to refuse.
If you're too embarrassed to refuse your in-laws' relatives, how can you have the nerve to push your own niece into a fire pit?
My niece's happiness for the rest of her life is not as important as her pride!
Third Aunt really saw through Aunt Cheng!
The old lady nodded: "I understand. We shouldn't agree to this marriage. If she comes to our door again, just throw her out."
The aunt pretended not to dare: "My eldest sister wants to go back to her parents' home, I can't stop her..."
"Just say I told you to hit her!" The old lady sneered, "If you're going to be such a good aunt, you might as well not have her at all."
Having received the imperial edict, Third Aunt let out a crisp "Hey!"
As they left the old lady's room, Third Aunt grabbed Fang Qiao's arm, pulled her aside, and asked, "Xiao Qiao, when do you plan to go back to the capital?"
Fang Qiao shook her head: "It's not certain yet. Third Aunt, do you want us to go back earlier?"
Auntie San nodded with a pained expression: "Yes, I really can't bear to leave Xiaojing in our hometown any longer."
No matter how bad Xiaojing's reputation is, she is still an unmarried young woman, and matchmakers from all around will inevitably be eyeing her.
In the past few days, she has been approached by many matchmakers.
If they had introduced me to a few reliable men, that would have been fine, but instead, they were all dirty, smelly, and unmarried old scoundrels who couldn't find wives, and second-time marriage proposals where they wanted to marry the girl of another family and treat her like a slave without paying a single penny of dowry!
But is being a stepmother so easy?
If even one's own children are unfilial, what good can one expect from raising someone else's children?
Those with a conscience might still offer a meal in their old age. But some heartless ingrates will simply kick you out. All your hard work over the decades might end up benefiting them instead.
If someone else has malicious intentions and harms Xiaojing, it will only further damage her reputation.
These days, public opinion doesn't sympathize with victims; on the contrary, it's very kind to men. Even if they really commit a crime, there will be people speaking up for them.
The incident that happened on Xiaoqiang's wedding day two years ago still haunts my aunt, and she dares not recall it!
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